Henry David Thoreau & Asperger’s Syndrome

By Greta Eckhardt

While recently reading a detailed biography of the nineteenth century writer, Henry David Thoreau, I found myself fascinated by the statements quoted below. During the past few years I have learned a great deal about Asperger’s Syndrome, and found a new outlook on some of my own traits as well as a new understanding of many people, both friends and strangers. It never occurred to me that the syndrome might also illuminate the workings of the mind of one of my heroes from the past, but I will let you come to your own conclusions after reading these paragraphs:

An excerpt from his journal:

“In the evening went to a party. It is a bad place to go to,—thirty or forty persons, mostly young women. The first one was as lively and loquacious as a chicadee; had been accustomed to the society of watering-places, and therefore could get no refreshment out of such a dry fellow as I. The other was said to be pretty-looking, but I rarely look people in their faces, and moreover I could not hear what she said, there was such a clacking.” (page 111).

Written by the biographer:

“he began a study of the temperature of Walden and the various nearby ponds, rivers and springs. It was the first of the many statistical studies that were to become so much a part of his like. Like so many of his contemporaries, he found himself developing a mania for charts of temperatures, heights, depths, weights and dates. It disturbed him, but he was never able to free himself from the habit.” (page 189-190)

From the writings of Louisa May Alcott:

“He gravely informed us once, that frogs were much more confiding the spring, than later in the season; for then, it only took an hour to get well acquainted with one of the speckled swimmers, who liked to be tickled with a blade of grass, and would feed from his hand in the most sociable manner.” (page 192)

From the writings of Frederick L. H. Willis:

“He was talking to Mr. Alcott of the wildflowers in the woods when, suddenly stopping, he said: ‘Keep very still and I will show you my family.’ Stepping quickly outside the cabin door, he gave a low curious whistle; immediately a woodchuck came running towards him from a nearby burrow. With varying note yet still low and strange, a pair of gray squirrels were summoned and approached him fearlessly. With still another note several birds, including two crows, flew towards him, one of the crows nestling upon his shoulder.” (page 193)

I hope these readings will give inspiration to members of AANE, whether or not they provide a real diagnosis of this great man.

Reference: Harding, Walter, 1982. The Days of Henry Thoreau: A Biography. Princeton University Press.

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